the inspiration for naming this impression as "peace" comes from how this rocky butte resembles flashing someone the two fingered peace sign (a ritual i've always done rather than waving at someone), combined with the fact that i'm always at peace when i find myself under the stars, outside under the glowing milky way in the dark silence of pure nature...totally exposed to the infinity of the universe i feel so wonderfully insignificant, and all my issues trivial, it's one of the few times my restless heart relaxes and my mind unfocuses and just lets things be, lets the beautiful calm of peace envelope me...
"peace" is defined by merriam-webster as:
1. a state of tranquility or quiet
2. freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
3. harmony in living
peace is not found in the eyes of another person, peace is not found in the purchase of material things. peace is not found in taking a trip to get away from everything. peace is not found in anything external...
love and forgiveness is key, a resentful heart will never discover peace...peace is found only in the calm inside you. period.
if it's inside you, then finding peace should be easy...so wtf is so difficult and so complicated? it's right there if you want it. it's always inside you, but too many unproductive things get in your way. doubt. regret. guilt. fear. longing. desire. resentment. pride. you must tune out the noise. look past the distractions. ignore negative thoughts. you must get outta your own way. and just believe. hope. love. relax. breathe. be content. and let it be, and then you'll find peace...
for me, its always noise in my mind that gets in the way of finding peace. some intrusive thought to which i should pay no heed...such as an ex-girlfriend rubbing shit in my face on social media, or frustration with lazy students who just want to do nothing and not improve themselves, or knowing someone is always constantly lying and there's nothing i can do about it, or not getting past having been made a fool and deceived and manipulated and hurt deeply by a monster succubus, or problems with a new lens delivery not showing when it was expected, or a photographer stealing yet another one of my compositions, or a major screw-up on my vehicle by the jeep dealership, or new public stupidity floating around about covid19, or me constantly wondering about why i'm so alone in this world, or just being so damned uptight and not letting things go...
you cannot earn peace. you cannot want peace. you cannot need peace. you cannot rush peace. you cannot force peace...you can only accept peace, be at peace, and live in peace...
1. breathe in: one-thousand one, one-thousand two, one-thousand three, one-thousand four...
2. breathe out: one-thousand one, one-thousand two, one-thousand three, one-thousand four...
repeat #1 and #2 as many times as it takes to clear your mind and feel peaceful again.
the simple act of deliberate breathing helps you to step back in your mind. so you can let things go. let things be, find peace again....breathe in, breathe out, move on...
"hush! silence the noise, breath in, breath out. soak in the glow of peace" ― bodhinku, hush
this life is all we have, all we get. waste none of it with trivial and useless thoughts that get in the way of your glowing light. do not let visions of anyone or any circumstance hold you back from your inner peace. be in love with your next breath. exhale, and be alive in that certainty.
here is a second beautifully poignant song with beautiful apropos lyrics to give listen, such a mellow, calming song...a true classic of wisdom to help anyone find some peace in their life in times of trouble, or ego, or nothing going right, "peaceful easy feeling" by the eagles (cover by jack tempchin) ... (just click on any of words in the powder blue links to listen to the song)...
"i like the way your sparkling earrings lay against your skin so brown. and i want to sleep with you in the desert night with a billion stars all around. because i got a peaceful easy feeling and i know you won't let me down, because i'm already standing on the ground...and i found out a long time ago what a woman can do to your soul. aw but she can't take you any way you don't already know how to go. and i got a peaceful easy feeling and i know you won't let me down, because i'm already standing on the ground...i get this feeling i may know you as a lover and a friend. this voice keeps whispering in my other ear tells me i may never see you again. because i get a peaceful easy feeling and i know you won't let me down, because i'm already standing, i'm already standing. yes, i'm already standing' on the ground" ― the eagles, peaceful easy feeling
"as an artist sometimes i'm a drifter, a vagabond bouncing from one spot to the next when i'm just not feeling good vibes. it's really quite impossible for me to capture anything beautiful with my camera if i'm just not in the right peace of mind. if i'm not feeling calmness and quietude in my mind, and instead feeling negative and noisy thoughts, i'm not letting nature around me sooth and caress my soul, and i just cannot create anything from my heart" ― bodhinku, peace of mind
and now here are a few more quotes from bodhinku from past blogs to help add to the deeper meaning of this blog today...